I've read the reviews on this site about Home Bodybuilding and have a few observations people may find helpful.First of all...
1) If a book is rated five stars, look to see if it's rated with just one five star rating or many. Chances are, if there's more than one glowing review, many other people have found the book equally as helpful.
2) When there are negative reviews, check and see how many there are and if there are commonalites between each of them.
I bought this book many months ago along with the Men's Fitness Home Workout book and have found each to have their strengths and weaknesses.
While the Men's Fitness book has more photos and exercises, it lacks much of the periphery elements of the mental components of motivation and just how hard it is for many of us to get started and stay motivated working out--especially at home AND by yourself...HELLO!
I like both both books very much. There must be a reason why amazon.com pairs Home Bodybuilding with the Men's Fitness book. They compliment each other quite well.
Finally, I'd like to give a few observations on what the reviewer "Judge Knott" wrote regarding the Home Bodybuilding book and how this reviewer must not have read the same book I'm looking at right now as I write this review. Specifically:
"There are many exercises shown that can only be done if one has access to expensive, complicated gym machines. (Yo! Isn't this supposed to be for h-o-m-e workouts?)"
If this reviewer would've read the book and understood its purpose, the author Robert Wolff states in clear language that he wants to give readers exercises they can do with freeweights (barbells and dumbbells), without weights (bodyweight only), with machines (if they have those in their home), and even informercial equipment.
"There is a sloppiness and an imprecision in the way many of the exercises are described."
I've got a library full of nutrition, exercise and physiology books and the exercise descriptions and illustrations Wolff uses in Home Bodybuilding match how the others illustrate how the exercises Wolff Describes should be done.
"The whole book is written at a reading level equivalent to that found in "The National Enquirer" or "The New York Post."
I'm reminded of a quote that a 20-plus million copy bestselling author once said, "Don't worry; If you write for the seventh grader, the Ph.D. will understand it too."
"It's also filled with cheerful, peppy, Oprah-like self-help sayings and anecdotes that recall Dale Carnegie in an extremely good mood. They bored and annoyed me."
Look at the other reviews who seem to greatly enjoy this author's writing style. Then click on reviewer Judge Knott's other reviews. For such a scathing review of this book, it was surprising how many of this person's reviews fall into the scope of fine arts and NOT nutrition, fitness or health. Perhaps returning Home Bodybuilding and getting a book on the order of the "New York Metropolitan Ballet of Workouts" might be a better fit?
My purpose is not to deride of belittle the above reviewer. All of us are entitled to our own opinions. However, when coming to this review forum, my only request is that any of us have a fully formed and educated opinion that doesn't selectively omit the good or not so desirable points of any book. That way, we can all learn and be helped by what anyone says--good or bad.
For my money, Home Bodybuilding was money well spent. Thanks for letting me have my two cents worth. Best to all!
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